1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a wheel-locking device which may be used, in particular, for prams and which is capable of simultaneously locking the rotation of several wheels. In the case of directional wheels, the device of the invention also makes it possible to lock the pivot position of the wheels using additional means.
1. Discussion of the Background
Wheel-locking or wheel-braking devices are already known in which a locking element is displaced axially or radially so as to be inserted between two spokes of the wheel or to act on its hub. Mention may be made, for example, of French Pat. 8,412,509 (AMPAFRANCE), Patent US-A-4,ll6,464, German Pat. Application DE-2,351,435 (MULLER) or European Pat. Application EP-64,368 (KIRK-DYSON). In other braking devices of known type, the tyre of the wheel is acted upon radially using the flexibility of this tire such as described, for example, in French Pat. 8,502,374 (AMPAFRANCE).
In all these locking or braking devices, it is possible to act simultaneously on the two wheels or on the two sets of wheels of one and the same axle only if these wheels are not orientable. In the case where orientable wheels are provided at the front, in the case of a child's push-chair, the braking device is then usually disposed on the two non-orientable wheels linked to the rear axle.
Also known are braking devices intended to act on a directional wheel unit capable of pivoting about a vertical axis. However, in these devices, the locking means are designed individually for each wheel or each wheel unit such that it is necessary to act on two control means in order to completely lock the pivoting of the directional wheels of the push-chair or of the pram.